Wichita eagle., 1887-02-16
A LETTER FROM MRS. DIR. MAMIE
STEPHENS.

To the Editor Daily Eagle.
Iregret exceedingly that my position
compels me in defense Of myself and other
ladies who were at Topeka, to answer your
editorial iu Sundays EAGLE on MUM
cipal Suffrage.
Personally had no desire to make my
self conspicuous, | went from sense OF
duty and with the consent of my husband.
paid my own expenses and consider 1t
bevond the limits of courtesy or gentle
manly manners for even an editor to dc
tate TO me what | should or should not
have done.
Every summer the wives Of many of our
families desert their homes, their husbands
and sons fer weeks and months and no
editor takes the liberty TO crilicise any one
Of thtm publicly aud say ''her place is at
home" But as soon as any one OF them
darcs leave for three whole days and hap
pens to believe in Equal Suffrage then the
then the storm cloud of fury
descends The women had better
have been at home looking after the
Ieace of mind and happiness Of their hus-
bands, sons and fathers.
Now. if we had gone for The purpose Of
attending hall, concert, an opera, or
any society affair. Col. Murdoch would
have been the last one to say we should
have been at home. but he would have
taken pleasure in giving personal notice OF
the trip and complimented the toilet of
each The question of the temporal and
spiritual Of the men would have been en-
tireiy forgotten, certainly not mentioned.
The home theme is the on which the men
grow eloquent | heard another man ar
que he would be very indignant to come
home and find his wife out TO a political
meeting. That mans wife is today in
Wnshir gton City ard has been there all
winter in fashionable society, who under
the lest Conditions is wasting her time,
and spending his money uselessly, and as
far as his comfort or home is concerned she
might as well have been on a lecture fol-
the winter in the cause of human advance
ment Yet what turore The daily papers
would have created over such course.
And how the poor man would have been
condoleG and pitiied. But rs soon as wo
men have a desire 10 live higher. more
noble and better life than that of merely
butterfly existence or of an inferior posi-
ton then they are ridiculed, burlesqueC
and insulted with regards to the designs
of their Creator.
In the history of woman's suffrage you
will find that among the most ardent advo
Gates are the true, faithful mothers. BE
cause woman believes in equal rights i
does not follow she wishes 10 be rid of III,
responsibility Of motherhood And
know from my professional life if there j
any Sinking it is among the women of 50
ciety.
Ii is an unjust insinuation 10 the repre-
sentaliveS of Kansas TO suppose that few
vote even had they been expected, hut Il
the best of my knowledge the arrange
ments were made for the flowers THURSDAY
evening after the bill had passed, and
was thought only just to show one appre
citation.
1t was suggested that those who coul,
should furnish flowers for the representa-
tive from their OWN district Consequent,
it became my duty and pleasure to expires
gratitude To Mr. Hatfield, for more logi
cal or eloquent speech il has not been IN
good fortune to hear And it is compE
ment when you say 'he represented hi
own sentiments" for they were grand
pure and sublime, yet. thanks to the libers
spirit of the age, he did represent his cor
stituepcy when he voted for the bill, 70
ON nv petition, which was only one c